Iran calls off Quds Day anti-Israel rallies due to coronavirus

JTA — Iran has called off demonstrations and rallies in the country to mark International Quds Day due to the coronavirus crisis.

The day, marked by demonstrations against Israel and expressing support for Palestinians, is held on the last Friday of Ramadan, which this year is May 22.

Al-Quds is the Arabic word for Jerusalem.

Quds Day was declared in 1979 by Ayatollah Khomeini, the leader of the Iranian Revolution. It is marked throughout the Middle East and in countries around the world, including the United States.

Other programs will take the place of the rallies, an Iranian official told reporters on Sunday, the semi-official Tasnim state news agency reported.

The official — Gen. Ramezan Sharif, head of the Intifada and Quds Center at Iran’s Islamic Propagation Coordination Council — said religious sites throughout the country have been closed due to the pandemic.